Love Fades, Mine Hasn't
by Kirawr
Summary: When Dimitri has denounced all feelings for Rose after his terrifying time as a Strigoi, he finds that, when she is stolen away during a Battle in the Court, life is hardly worth living any more. As he takes up his duty to defend the Princess, he must make the decision on whether to seek her out, is it worth leaving his charge? She could be dead. Or worse.
1. Chapter 1

**_Rose POV_**

_Love fades. Mine has. Love fades. Mine has. Love fades. M- _I had to stop. Those earth shattering words just keep replaying in my mind. I want with my entire person to deny it, but how could I? He made it clear just half an hour ago. Now, in my room with my red, puffy eyes shoved into a pillow I finally decided that I had finished my grief- its not like I was some loner, I have Adrian, my beautiful, lovely, if not slightly crazy, Adrian. And all this sulking would achieve nothing.

So I gathered myself up, took a nice hot shower and put on a cute check dress that Lissa and I had bought shopping a couple of days before; Its top half pinching in my waist before flaring down to just above my knees. Adrian invited me to dinner earlier and that was an offer I intended to take him up on, after pushing my hair back into a messy silk bun and deciding that my face had returned to its original colour enough to not bother with make up, except some light eyeliner, I left the room in search of a wonderful man who had never let me down.

Halfway down the main courtyard I found him walking toward me with heart melting adoration in his eyes. And for a second, just for a second, I forgot all about Dimitri Belikov.

"Little Dampir" he murmurs as he swept me up in an embrace and smothered my neck with soft warm kisses.

I laughed. "What's gotten into you?" hooking my arms behind his neck and pulling myself upward to plant a peck on his lips.

"You," he replied sweetly. "you got into my head, I don't know how but I intend to find out, we are supposed to be the ones with compulsion" he grinned.

He took my hand and we starting strolling in my original direction. Swinging our arms and laughing at everything and nothing. I took the time to look at him, he was perfect, wonderful, he was making such an effort to be a better person for me, to be with me, he made sacrifices for me and _tried,_ really tried to be someone who he thought that I deserved.

"So, dinner tonight?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows like a minx.

"Sure, as long as we wait until later, the day is still young" Not to mention that I was still involuntarily feeling a little bit ill from my sobbing episode.

It made me feel safe and unusually happy, like all was right in the world- if only for this moment. We were surrounded by Dampirs on duty and I knew that I was safe to slip into an unguarded mood, unworried and carefree.

We were still walking when the stars were at their brightest, the moon was large and perfectly circular and Adrian looked at me.

"Dinner?"

"Soon." I agreed readily.

"Aw come on, give a guy a break, I'm starving! We will end up having to fight for a table at this rate." He chuckled.

"You mean___I _will have to fight for a table." I smiled.

"Hey, I am quite the expert at Adrian-Fu."

I barked a laugh. "Riiight…"

He turned on me, prodding in my waist at either side so it tickled like mad, I hit out, punching him in the arm while he tried to pick me up and swing me toward him, but instead I swept my foot into his legs and he fell to the ground, me pinning him to the ground while we both shook with laughter.

"I see what you did there!" I beamed down at him, taking in our suggestive position, before relaxing onto the grass beside him. Feeling warm inside not for the first time on this lovely day, I might even go as far to say that it cancelled out the agony of earlier events.

But then. Oh, and there always has to be a 'but'. My stomach lurched, and not from the crying- that was long gone. This was the terrible, familiar lurch that could only mean one thing.

I leapt to my feet in a heartbeat and snatched up the stake which my flared dress allowed me to strap to my thigh and spun 180 degrees to catch the Strigoi dropping down behind me right in the chest. I didn't recognise him, an elderly looking man but not your average 'lets take the grand-kids to the baseball park' old man, he had those horrible red eyes, malicious expression and unnaturally white skin but thankfully no tell tale blood in sight.

I looked around with an expression of pure fury- that he was here, that he was here at that moment- I forgot to be scared, he just threatened the lives of me and Adrian, of everyone on campus, and no doubt there were more of them.

There were not any more Strigoi in sight, but what I did notice was everyone on the street, even the guardians on duty, staring at me with a look of utter shock and urgency, no doubt they expected nothing less than that in a place as 'safe' as this. I also noticed Dimitri, if only for a moment when I realised his identity as one Dampirs standing guard. Knowing him, no-one told him he should do it, but he wanting to retain a small sense of normality. I noticed two of his escorts standing nearby, but their eyes were not on him, they were fixed on me, matching expressions with Dimitri and every other guard there, the surprise and readiness, and… awe? Whatever, I didn't have time to read into that because that two second sweep of the surroundings was all I needed to recover before I yelled at the top of my lungs: "STRIGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOI!"

_**Dimitri POV**_

As I stood against the marble building I saw Roza and Ivashkov idly wander by me _again_, looking heartbreakingly in love. What happened to the look of despair on her face earlier today? Did Adrian truly mean as much to her as I did? Has he made her forget me so easily? She hadn't even noticed me here, when she would usually glance at me as soon as she was in the same vicinity as me, a trait we both seem to have for each other, or, did.

I was so worked up that by the time I saw that damned Ivashkov suddenly moved toward her with a sly look I was ready to throw his body across this cobbled street and into the nearest window, my lips hinting at a smile as I imagined him crippled with a broken bone or two, he wouldn't be such a pretty boy then.

But I think there was also a mutual annoyance within the Dampirs here that Rose was not with Vasilisa. She wanted to prove herself worthy, yet here she is wasting her time with a male Moroi. Not an encouraging trait for a female Dampir to have. I couldn't bear it any longer; she was pinning him down in their play fight almost exactly as she did with me that day back at the Academy, when she beat the not-so-Strigoi me in an intense moment of skill and passion.

I could see all the other on duty guards looking exasperated at their public display of affection when, without warning, a body too fast to be friendly, too palid to be Moroi, too snarling to be described as anything but a monster, shot into view from a rooftop near Rose. She was oblivious, no-one had time to warn her and in a stomach dropping moment, a moment when life lost all meaning, I thought Rose was about to die.

Then she leapt upwards and twisted around, in her adorable dress, the flaring bottom swirling and in a rapid movement of black and white my Roza held her stake lodged in the heart of that bastard, his expression of triumph fading to fear before he finally released the spirit of the Moroi that once inhabited that body.

There was a silence, in that moment where only I realised how Rose knew to rise and defend herself, but not even me guessing at the speed and agility she possessed in order to do so. I could see that every other person in the vicinity were thinking the same thing- This woman is a Goddess.

Then she looked around, briefly meeting my eyes with almost no recognition, too sweeping to take note of me properly-which hurt me for no good reason- and she stood, her expression one of aggressive defiance, the moonlight hitting her, highlighting her every feature, her sharp defined face, her slender arms and slim body, her stunning hair matching the night sky in a beautiful mess at the back of her head. She looked like a foreign temptation. She had the grace of a Greek deity, the elegance of an Egyptian cat. She looked like a heroine, a princess, a standard-bearer. She was breathtaking.

And in what can only be described as a warrior cry she blasted "STRIGOI!" so I had no doubt that every guard within half a mile would have heard her.

It was a blur from then on, the gathering of everyone, the splitting up of people into secure buildings while the Dampir fighters swept though the campus, searching every nook and cranny for a hint of more Strigoi. Just as I set out I saw Rose hug Lissa goodbye before she ran off on her own mission of search and kill. I was appalled, she should be with Lissa! Not because I thought that the princess would not be protected enough, but because Roza should be too. I was being stupid, I tried to tell myself, just five minutes ago I was thinking about how Rose should be working, and here she is, the idol of an assailant setting off for battle and all I can think is the fact she should be cowering with the Moroi.

I knew as soon as the first men found Strigoi, a grunt and noise of a struggle was all I needed to make a beeline for the area. There were two of them, attacking one Moroi, I was just about to take the first one down from behind when it burst into flames and crumpled to the floor in front of me, to reveal her killer. Christian Ozera.

I smiled grimly at him, nodding before I bounded off as he took down the next Strigoi who, after seeing what became of his companion attempted to escape only to catch fire before he took his second step.

The Strigoi just kept coming, an echo of what happened at the Academy, but no-one knew how they were getting in. I ran to a particularly busy battle when I had finished with my sixth area only to find the corpses of countless Strigoi and four Dampirs and I winced to see a dead Moroi in the mix. There was only one Dampir left standing, nine Strigoi surrounding her as she fought with a wild rage, taking them down, with impossible, astonishing finesse. Her skin was coated in sweat, her dress split up the seam to the top of her thigh, to reveal not only her dark lace underwear but more worryingly three slashes across her leg, as if someone has scratched deep into her flesh with their nails. But she endured with a magnificent dexterity, simply bounding out of a place which seconds later was pounced upon by the savages around her, and swiping with the speed usually reserved for a cougar defending her cubs, and I soon realised why- the house she stood in front of held a little Moroi girl whimpering at the second floor window, a small familiar face watching down upon her courageous saviour.

I jumped in. While Roza was doing great, I would destroy as many as I could before they could lay another hand on her. I poised my stake and took out the first one, so engrossed with her attack on my Rose that she failed to acknowledge the deadly threat behind her. Me.

We had worked our way down to five before Rose took note that it was me fighting with her, no doubt her relief was just so great to have help that she didn't mind who it was. But she glimpsed me while I was in the middle of a tricky battle with a more experienced Strigoi, just as I slew him, I saw her look at me with such horror that I wondered if I had somehow turned back into the kind of monster that I was currently fighting. Rose was fighting her own struggle, but a moment after she expressed that glance of despair she leapt from her own vantage point toward me, and I assumed she would kill me there and then, if I were a Strigoi, she'd know it would be what I'd want, yet I felt fine.

Then she lashed out beside me, where unbeknown to me, a Strigoi had a gun aimed at my head. I did a double-take, this kind of weapon, any weapon, was so very rare with these creatures of the night. I was so distracted with my own brawl, and hers that I had failed to realise the immediate danger, a danger now aimed at Rose.

A gunshot went off. Those moments would haunt me forever. Rose crying out and gasping for breath, that terrifying _crack_ as her head smacked off the sidewalk,the pool of blood spilling out beneath her, the tears running from her eyes- it was torturous to see and do nothing about, nothing! I would have killed that damned bitch. I would have happily torn her heart out where she stood, I would have taken Roza to the nearest infirmary and stayed with her until every ounce of pain was naturally gone from her body, and even after that. But in a twisted moment of retribution, I saw the remaining three Strigoi enter the house and I knew I had to follow, and with a bitter vehemence I liberated three souls in two minutes, before they had a chance to lay a hand on the innocent upstairs.

Lifting the girl in my arms I took her to the nearest guarded building while taking the almost hysterical note that my Roza and that final Strigoi were nowhere to be seen.

* * *

_I've uploaded this story before on another site when I was younger, but I wanted to put it up here, written a little better, I hope you guys like it!_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Dimitri POV**_

"That's it."

"That's what, Princess?" I replied in a gruff tone, genuinely not knowing why she was annoyed.

They were sitting at the dinner table at her and Christian's cabin, Christian was just looking down at his plate as she spoke, looking embarrassed but equally exasperated.

"I can not have you doing this for the rest of your life Dimitri! It has been nine months since Rose..." she took a deep, shaking breath, "died, and since then you have floated through life like a ghost. It's heartbreaking! The last time I saw you smile was- wait, ___have _you smiled? My god, well, not properly at least. You used to love being around Tasha, now when she visits, you can hardly bare to look at her. The only time when you are passionate about something is when your fighting- how messed up is that?" her voice was getting higher pitched with distress as she spoke, until she was practically yelling. "Look." She said in a softer tone. "I think its time you went on holiday" I cringed. "I know, I know! The last time you took a break your friend was killed, it was years ago- but it happens. It doesn't mean you can deny yourself any time off! We think it would be good for you if you visited your family. You need to remember what it is to love." She smiled tentatively.

"I'd rather not." I said too quickly. Recalling the first time they were contacted after Rose died.

They immediately came when they were summoned to the court, assuming it was about me, some horrible thing I had done in my Strigoi state. When they found out I was ___there__, _they were mortified, scared. But when they discovered what had happened, they were ecstatic- I was alive, truly alive. They finally realised the rumours were about me- I was the one that returned. When they were told it was due to Rose, Sonya cried out her blessings to the sky and my mother was saying how she'd always fit right into our family, how much she was loved and how much it hurt when she left. How she even saved Viktoria from being taken advantage of by Rolan, a jerk Moroi who, it turns out, impregnated Sonya as well. My family had been so grateful, and they'd told him that she was welcome in their home and in their family.

Imagine their dismay, the crushing blow it was to them. The wailing and the sobbing,whispering their thanks once again after they discovered that she died in the process of saving me. My grandmother was the only one who kept it together, a solemn face among the open grief. She muttered to me in our home language: "At least, Dimi, she knew her love was returned." She looked at me with that sad, wise glint in her eye. Vikki withdrew into herself, racked with tears, confessing how hateful she had been the last time she saw Rose, even after everything that she had done.

So how could he go back? Go back and face them, look his grandmother in her all- knowing eyes. I couldn't do it, and I told Lissa so.

"You won't leave?"

"I made an oath." Plus, Rose would have never forgiven me if something happened to her best friend.

"Okay then."

That was easier than I expected, I never pegged her for giving in easily.

"Your fired."

I stopped in my tracks. "What?!"

"If you want to come back after a week or two," -which we both knew I would -"then feel free, but until then, consider yourself actively out of a job."

I sighed, knowing I had no comeback for that.

Since there were no direct flights to Siberia from Pennsylvania I took decided on a transfer from California, hoping I could actually seen the sun just once in the 20 minutes between flights. And when I arrived and made my way toward the flight board to check the Gate number when I saw that it was delayed- by nine hours. I looked outside, at the stunning weather and decided then and there that I wouldn't be spending that time inside an airport, I left my luggage in a locker and made my way outside.

The sun was scorching, you would think I would be uncomfortable after all the cold weather and bleak skies, but the truth was that I really loved sun. I had removed my duster so I was just wearing my tee-shirt and a pair of old jeans, and the sun was beating down on my skin, enveloping me in a bath of warmth. But even in those conditions- with the beautiful sights surrounding me on the shore of California, the smell of salt water and fresh air, mixed with the greasy food stalls- which smelled appealing for some reason, even with the beautiful women in bikinis, walking around me, a couple even giving me pointed looks to indicate their interest, all I could think about was Rose. The time she told me how she missed the sun. Her unhealthy obsession with chips and everything deep fried. I even began to see her face on some of the girls passing by. If I saw one with similar eyes, or her cute nose, occasionally would stop my aimless drifting and squint at them, until I decided it was much too obsessive.

I was gazing at one of the coast side cafés, wondering if I should stop and get a drink, the little parasols shading small wooden tables looking very inviting. Then I stopped dead, I told myself to look away, that I was embarrassing myself, but I stared at a couple hugging goodbye. The girl burying her face in the nape of his neck, her hair was so dark, but not quite black, and so smooth that it looked like satin, reflecting the sun on her head and so long it tumbled halfway down her back. She was wearing a light summer dress, bright red and strapless, and black kitten heels- it was so close to the style I always imagined Rose would love to wear if she could. I gaped, her hair was so beautiful and so similar to R- The guy she was with caught my eye, he was facing me and looked puzzled, and I wasn't surprised, I was probably ogling like a fool at their intimate moment. I glanced away, but not to be dissuaded, I headed toward the counter, purchasing a lemonade and taking a seat a few tables away from the satin-haired girl.

I gazed out at the sea, watching the overhead gulls swoop and salvage dropped chips and other scraps of food they could find. Watching one as it came nearby the tables before boldly hopping onto a table and finishing off someone's bread crusts. The girl was watching it too. Her friend had gone and her face lit up with amusement watching the bird, her eyes drifting before catching mine. That face. Her face. Every feature burned into my mind, every minute detail etched into girl. A face that everyone had accepted had either died or turned Strigoi. A face that I never expected to see again if not a pale, disturbing replication. But here that face was, looking tanned and healthy and slightly bemused as she looked in my direction.

Time stood still in that second as she grinned at me. She seemed to smile simply because I wasn't looking away. I couldn't be imagining her. Not that perfectly. Her smile began to fade, getting smaller and smaller until she looked worried.

Frozen in shock, my mouth shaped the word "Roza". But I must have been going crazy, the girl didn't show a hint of recognition, I should turn away now before she calls the police. I glanced at our surroundings, checking to see if anyone was watching our odd exchange, relieved when it seems no-one had noticed.

But in that same second I hear a resounding crash and immediately turn my head to see that her table is lying on the floor, smashed glass and a plate in a million pieces scattered around the area, and the girl gone. Then I knew, I knew it must be Rose. I don't know how she could be alive, or why she would be doing this, but unwavering in my mind, was the knowledge that it was undoubtedly, undisputed the woman I loved.

So I leapt up and ran the only possible direction, around the building corner and toward the town directly behind the beach. The buildings were a few hundred yards away and crowds of people blocking were my view, but the flash of her dark hair every few minutes kept me right. I don't know why she bolted, or what was happening, I just knew that I had to get to her, shouting 'Rose!' 'Roza STOP!" she just kept going, and by the time I reached the town I thought I had lost her. In a flash of colour I glimpsed her crimson dress flitting into a back ally. It was beyond me how she was so fast, she was wearing heels for pity sake! I chased her around the corner behind her and finally it was just her and me, down the small pedestrian road between towering apartments, I noticed that she was now barefoot, the only sound our panting and the padding as our feet hit the ground, well, that and my repetitive calls to her.

Eventually I saw her looking up at the same window a couple of times, and I knew I had my opening.

_**Rose POV**_

I lost him. Immediately after taking my turn I ran into one of the many buildings around. But not taking any chances, I burst up the six flights of stairs before I reached my door and frantically shoved the key in the lock, twisting and shoving, miraculously choosing today not to stick before flying open. I slam the door shut behind me. Closing my eyes in relief and gasping for air as I sank to the floor- just glad to be safe in my apartment, and away from frightening ideas.

As my heart rate slowed, and I stop shaking, my eye lids fluttered open to take in my dimly lit room, smiling as I saw everything as I left it. Then there was a horrible but illogical thought nudged into my mind.___Everything as I left it. _I swung my head toward the draft from my open window and yelped in fear when that I see the man standing there. Looking devastatingly handsome but striking a wrenching ping inside my gut.

"Why?" The man asked with a Russian accent, looking hurt and angry

I scramble to my feet. "Stay away from me!"

"Roza, why did you run from me? How are you here? How could you do this to Vasilisa?! … how could you do this to me?" he spoke with such profound grief I was struck dumb. "I mean, who could be this selfish? What's ___wrong _with you?" his voice just kept getting louder. "Why will you not answer me?"

I boiled over, my fear overtaken by my short temper. "Because. I don't know who the fuck you are!"

He just stood there in disbelief. Eventually managing to choke out "Then why did you run?"

"Because. I have very few memories of my life prior to a little over half a year ago. But one thing I remember is your face and four words. I'm in anguish whenever I remember and I ___don't know why!_" her eyes were pricking and she couldn't stop them. He looked so woeful, I almost felt sorry for saying it, but didn't stop there. "I have spent the last nine months trying to build a life for myself! I even got into a programme!" my voice got small "… I woke up next to a headless corpse, with a bleeding head, bullet wound and _no memory._ I managed to stumble into the street, and was taken to the hospital when I passed out again. From there I got nothing. The body was gone when people went back, but I remember it clearly. Everyone assumed all the blood was mine but... I know better."

I didn't know why I told this man all of this, but it just somehow seemed… safe to. He just kept opening and closing his mouth like a fish, like he was going to say something but changed his mind. Then he spoke. "w- why didn't you try and find your way back to m- your old life?"

"Hah!" I laughed harshly "To what? Because from what I can gather I was more like a body guard to my best friend, I seemed to have scary-ass enemies after me, and to top it all off the man I loved was cold and cruel" I screamed the last part, finally voicing the horror of my memories.

"I am so sorry Rose."

"Is that my name?" I got distracted, I heard him say it before, I was just to scared to stop and ask, the fear drained from me now. "I thought it might begin with an R, I'd been going by Riley."

He laughed in a humourless breath. "No, you are Rose, Roza, and I don't know how I can ever apologise enough, but I have to start by telling you that I love you- More than anything. I couldn't risk your safety again by staying with you. I was too afraid. Too haunted by the memories of what I did when I had no control. I was weak and I'm so, so sorry. And besides, you had a boyfriend! What was I supposed to do?"

Now it was my turn to be speechless. I just stared at him before I muttered "I'm sorry, I've tried everything, but the truth is that I can't remember my old life. I can't remember you."

He half smiled "Let me see if I can fix that." He approached me, stopping directing in front of me, standing a head taller. He took my face softly with both of his hands and tilted it toward his. Smiling down and me he brought his lips down to mine and kissed me with an intensity conveying a fervour with such devout love and yearning it had me returning the kiss almost immediately, the sudden desire too much to ignore.

When he pulled back he gave me a sidewards smile, I melted in his warm brown eyes and adoring expression. I knew at that moment, the kiss, the face, the way his hair matched those irises and flopped over his face.

"Dimitri." I gasped, touching his soft cheek and running my thumb down his stubbled chin "Oh God, my comrade how could I ever have forgotten _you__?_"

He chuckled, lifting me into his embrace while I smothered him with kisses and hooked my legs around his waist. He carried me to my bed, lying me down all the while never breaking our lips apart. He followed me down, pressing his body against mine. Entwining ourselves, we laughed and caressed each other's skin in our sweet reunion.

A sudden urgency formed in our positions, a fierceness of his lips on mine. With his teeth and lips he slowly grazed his way down my cheek, my neck, down to my chest until he nipped my dress fabric between his teeth and pulled downwards, the outfit slipping off with ease thanks to the stretchy material, until it was completely off. We kept removing clothes until they were scattered across my floor. And then the real reunion began.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Adrian POV**_

"Why do you need a substitute guardian? What's wrong with Belikov?"

Lissa sighed exasperatingly, blowing the hair off her face as she rolled her eyes "He's gone on break."

"What?" I flung my head back to stare at the dark sky with a look of betrayal "That bastard. Rose would have never left you alone! Did he think about her- you, at all?" I gave a snort of disgust.

"Lets just say I was a little more persuasive than he could handle. He needed a break, and his flights were booked for this morning. I'm not incapable of spending a little time alone by the way."

I shoved my hands in my pockets, looking at the floor I yearned for Rose for the millionth time. Dimitri always told me not to even try and visit her in my dreams, something about her not being able to resist returning if she saw me, and the danger that posed to all of us. He hinted that Strigoi were always in a way- a really twisted, sick way- thinking about trying to regain their old lives. But fuck him, what does he know? I held no respect for him now, he returned from his search for her so quickly, after just three months, and now he's just casually flying off to Barbados or something. I split without a word, leaving Lissa and Christian looking weary.

That night I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes, expecting to hit a brick wall. But the image in my head became almost tangible and I fell into an old routine.

I was suddenly scared. I was so focused on seeing Rose, even just once; that I forgot that she was one of the undead now. Uncaring. Impassionate. More than any actual danger, I feared seeing her as something she had lived to protect her loved ones from. I heard a twig snap behind some of the gorgeous evergreens and skittered back a step.

Then she appeared. All I could do is stop and stare. She was every bit as devastating as I remembered her. Her hair still gleamed in dark shades, her nails painted her favourite colour, and because I'd not even considered dressing her, she was wearing what she would be in reality, which was odd, because it was a pair of pyjama shorts and a baggy tee, and she looked every bit as ravishing as she did that night of the dance. She looked up at me under her long eyelashes and her dark brown eyes stared at me with confu- wait… brown?

I suddenly realised that this beautiful dark skinned girl before me was not in any way, shape or form a Strigoi, her wonderfully bright aura projected confusion and innocence, and she looked, with her perfect face cocked to the side in confusion. I never thought I'd see her again. My Rose. "Little dhampir" I breathed silently.

_**ROSE POV**_

As I drifted to sleep I half expected to slip into back into that odd world where I am not my self, not in control, just watching as I do things through foreign eyes.

The past few months had been insane, I'd spoken to psychiatrists, doctors and tried to make new friends, but none of it helped all that much. The shrink had told me that I'd suffered from amnesia, and tried to help coax stuff out of me, but every time I'd think I'd gotten somewhere, something in my brain would set off alarm bells. It was as if a wall came up and blocked it from me. I was told that was normal, but there was something else that I didn't tell him, I was _afraid _going past that wall, not in the nervous way, but in a way of dark, menacing fear. I knew there was good somewhere beyond those imaginary bricks, but I was not sure it was worth wading through the rest.

I'd told him about the dreams as well, it was as if I was somewhere else. Someone else. It was being trapped in someone else's body with no control, sometimes I was angry, really angry. Sometimes it was be a crushing sadness, and other times... Well, it was a little less PG. He told me that it seemed that I wanted to invent another life for myself, one in which I was more passionate about my emotions, and this was my subconscious way of releasing that desire, but I disagreed. Sometimes I would catch a glimpse in a mirror, and I would look so familiar, as if I knew the person my brain was telling me to be.

But instead of another of those dreams, I appeared in a dazzling brightness and as my eyes adjusted, they focused on the stunning surroundings, a bright sky, beautiful, tall trees and long soft, emerald grass beneath my feet. I looked around, I seemed to be in a large field, there were butterflies and bees enjoying the bright, vibrant flowers.

I stepped out toward the trees, desperate to search to magical realm. I stopped in my tracks. There was a boy there, no- a man. He was young, and he seemed glued to the spot. He seemed somewhat familiar; I think I might have seen him through my other eyes before. I hated that feeling of uncertainty; it scared me to bits every time I experienced it. His hand slowly stretched out toward me, although we were at least ten feet apart, and he formed two words with his mouth silently.

"Wh-where have you been?" he gasped when he finally broke the silence.

I looked at him oddly; his tone was filled with many emotions, and among them, accusation. "Huh?"

His expression turned to outrage "you think this was all right? Just dropping us all? What happened? You don't look very tied up, very starved, very '_awakened'_!

I laughed at this bizarre person, speaking so strangely, making no sense, I was in a dream, and I could control this situation if I wished to. I sat down on the grass and wished I was in something other than my pjs. Well, I was on the in the sun, I may as well be dressed for it. I materialised myself a small white dress like the one I had admired in window of a shop the other day, it was strapless and had a a soft skirt. I glanced up, almost surprised to see the man still there.

"Hello." I said as a smiled.

He looked at me closely and saw something that disturbed him, because he let in a small gasp and looked torn up inside. "Little dhampir… do you recognise me?"

I laughed again. "You talk so weirdly. Who are you?"

He stared into my eyes intensely, it almost made me squirm, he closed the gap between us and dropped to his knees and analysed my face, taking in every detail and he whispered. "It's me."

And he leant in toward me, lips slightly parted, his flawless face filled with an expression of longing. And just as the space between us was almost non existent, a loud___ trilling_ rang in my ears, and I was sucked back into reality. Into my empty bed and my empty life.

_**Rose POV**_

I woke in Dimitri's arms, and nothing could have ruined that moment. Nothing. Except the memory of the night before last. That dream, _he_ was real... My head throbbed trying to remember him, and I stirred from my beautiful Russian comrade to curl my legs into a foetal position and set my mind to the task. I had to know. When he turned over, I felt his body go rigid in response to how I was laying.

"Roza?" He murmured hesitantly.

I knew what he feared, and I quickly moved to face him, easing the lines of worry on his brow. "I remember you Dimitri," I assured him "but there is something I'm struggling to come to terms with..."

He gazed at me curiously.

"A man, he was in my dream the other night, and he spoke to me, vividly. I remember you Dimitri," I repeated, "but I don't remember many other people. Who was he?"

He looked both distressed and somewhat relieved at my confusion, but reluctantly brought his eyes to mine, cupped my chin and said "We have to go back home."

_**Adrian POV**_

"She's alive!" I insisted for the hundredth time.

Christian gave me that infuriating look of doubt. That I could understand. I could not, however, forgive the twinge of pity in his expression.

"We hear you! It's just... hard to believe. She hasn't gotten in contact since the attack, you haven't reached her since this hal- spirit dream, and no offence, but you're kinda nuts."

I resisted the temptation to punch him in the face. A wise decision, considering his affinity. It had been several days since I saw my Little Dhampir, and I still couldn't make sense of it. I was beginning to think they were right, maybe I did just fall asleep. But she'd seemed so real, he'd tried getting in contact with Belikov, even, but his phone went straight to voice mail, it was probably all those flights, and before he'd managed to reach him, Christian found out and threatened him with a fiery punishment if he disturbed the already messed-up Dhampir, he was actually a little shocked at his concern, so he left him be. For now.

Lissa looked like she possessed a flicker of hope. But within the admission that he was telling the truth, she would have to acknowledge Rose's betrayal, and she knew her friend better than that. Maybe without Lieutenant Kill-Joy, they could have done something to figure it out already. Tasha seemed to get increasingly agitated as I tried to convince them, as she watched Lissa's reaction, she grew angrier at me for asserting that I was right. They didn't understand. They didn't see the worry and disarray of her aura, if he wasn't hallucinating, then there was a lot more to this than Rose running away.

Before I could retort again, there was a knock at the door, and, without waiting for a reply, it was flung open. Dimitri strode in, looking determined and protective. I swear, his moods seemed to lean toward bipolar, I flew off my seat and onto my feet. Lissa looked to him and sighed, her hands wiping her face in vexation. I took a less passive path.

"How _DARE_ you fuck off! What would Rose have said?"

Lissa immediately shot me with a dose of her own special happy drug, and I was momentarily calmed. She walked toward the door cautiously, "Why are you home early Dimitri? You should be in Baia by now."

What happened next stunned us all. Because as he moved aside, behind him in the doorway, a figure stood, as mortal as I'd ever seen her. Her scent filled the air like a blissful perfume and her hair shone brightly in the evening sun. But worryingly, her eyes were wide and distressed they flicked erratically around room and the people.

"Rose!" Lissa gasped, almost falling caught her breath and rushed toward her best friend.

Rose looked to her in apparent terror, an expression barely registered before the Princess slammed into her and caught her in a tight hug of which she did not look soon of letting go. She cried and sobbed into her shoulder, her aura projecting such relief and love that I could almost ignore the hesitancy that Lissa hadn't noticed.

"You're the girl, the one from my head." Rose whispered, when Lissa finally retreated.

Everyone stared in shock, it was one thing to forget me, Adrian thought, but Vasilisa? The other half to her whole? Christian looked uncharacteristically haunted by the unnatural sight, Rose looking without love to her best friend. Tasha just looked shocked, terrified, even. She who hadn't believed me for a second looked like she was seeing a ghost, which, I suppose, is what most people would react like. We had all assumed that if we ever retrieved our friend, she would no longer be the person she once was, and if there was any hope of returning her, it would be through blood and sweat. Even after that, she would have never been the same, much like Dimitri, he might not mention it often, but it was clear that he agonised over the events his body once took part in. He stood there now, watching the two girls with a sadness but also a defensiveness, looking around the surroundings and outside, lest someone take away his- my- our? Rose. He looked to me for a moment, and we met eyes with something we didn't often experience. Agreement. Our eyes conveyed mutual relief, that, although many things might be wrong with this situation, Rose was safe.

Lissa's eyes filled with tears, she looked at Rose first with shock, but then with understanding. She had recoiled in confusion when the Little Dhampir had spoken, but now retuned to put both hands on her perfect shoulders. "My guardian, my friend, my sister. You're aura is so dark, so confused."

With that she closed her eyes, and the whole room could ebbed with the vibrating effects that Spirit had as it was released into her. It made her glow the most, there was a thrum of light emitting from her skin as her head lolled back in a release of tension and sadness. After a few moments Rose jolted like she'd been tasered, and was left gaping, her perfect features directed toward Princess Dragomir, her best friend.

"Lissa."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Adrian POV**_

She hadn't looked at me since we all sat down in the living room. She seemed withdrawn; scared. Her shoulder's were hunched and her eyes flickered around the room, though never to me.

Dimitri kept possessively close, and Lissa watched her best friend like she thought she might be whisked away like smoke in the wind. After the initial shock, the questions began, we asked her where she'd been living, what she'd been doing, but after the careful tiptoeing around it, Christian spoke up.

"What happened after the battle?"

I cringed at the last word, that night had been the cause of many nightmares, watching Rose die in a number of horrible ways. I could never do anything but watch, a hapless _Moroi_. I would see her agonised expression lacken as she died, only to see her turn pale, her eyes shimmer crimson as she turned her face up to me, smiling terribly before she lunged to my throat.

I saw her recoil at the word as well, and immediately felt guilty for my own fear, I worried what the question would do to her, we all did, yet everyone leaned closer in anticipation of an answer. Her eyes lifted to look at me, but I soon realised that she wasn't seeing me- her eyes gazing into space, into the past.

_**Rose **__**POV**_

When Christian asked the question, memories started flooding back. While Liss's Spirit had opened my memory to her, I was still having trouble remembering much else, though thoughts were not nearly as elusive as they had been the last frustrating months. Those words were like an electric shock though, and they came unbidden...

_My head was throbbing, I woke to find a man settled in an armchair nearby. At my stirring, he looked at me with mild indifference before returning to the paper that was lifted near his eyes. I tried to move my body, yet my muscles did not listen, they remained glued to the floor. I struggled to order my mouth to speak, but it refused._

_Still looking at his newspaper, he spoke, with a calm irritation, "I've been rather put out with you, girl."_

_I shook my head, trying to rid the fuzzy haze that walled me from what I'd just been doing, or, rather, what I had ever done. The harder I tried to remember anything, the further it spun out of reach. It reminded me oddly of chasing a rainbow, never near enough to touch._

_Eventually, I managed to choke out a guttural question mark._

_"Right on that battlefield, you destroyed somebody who I have spent the last 98 years with."_

_I was confused at both parts of his statement, he did not look older than 40, yet there was a look in his eyes that hinted at an anger that could not come without years of torment. What did he mean about me killing anybody? I imagine my baffled expression was open on my face, because he scowled at me._

_"I doubt you even thought about it, you probably didn't even see her face while you murdered her. She has been my companion for almost a century," I felt horror creep upon me as his words sunk in, "No doubt my group will disband now, we have lost a valuable leader, there was no one more capable of beheading any sign of rebellion. Literally."_

_I began to realise, through some distant knowledge, that these people weren't people, and the glint of scarlet that I saw in his eyes was not a trick of the light, as I'd been leading myself to believe. He was some sort of monster._

_"It was ironic, really. Our daughter always liked to keep more modernized ideas; her mother often berated her, but the gun that she brought to the fight resulted in a most effective defeat, and, if I may say so, the most satisfying."_

_I looked down at where dull ache was emitted, and at the left side of my stomach, a bandage soaked in dark red blood. My brows furrowed, why would anyone save me if they wanted to kill me?_

_As if he knew what she was thinking, he allowed himself to smile. "What would be the joy in watching you die from a simple gunshot wound? I prefer more," he sneered, "personal methods." he flicked a serrated blade from his vest pocket, and caressed the smooth sides._

_At that moment, a young girl entered through large mahogany doors, looking vehement._

_"Really father, must you bring that thing out at every occasion?"_

_He looked toward his daughter, and sighed, returning the knife to his pocket._

_"I have other plans." She looked, toward me, and I had a feeling that her plans involved something more painful than knives._

_"And what, my dear child, do you suppose we do with her?"_

_"Have her join us."_

_If she had doubted that a monster could look shocked, she wouldn't any more. His eyes widened and mouth gaped, and he stuttered out an oppositional noise._

_"You have seen her in battle, imagine that power magnified by The Awakening! We are at a loss in our coven now- would you see us disbanded? She would be the perfect solution!"_

_The man had gotten over his surprise, and now looked angry, glaring from me to her, "You would have her live? No, you would have her rewarded with our immortality? After what she has d-"_

_The girl held up her hand, she had obviously predetermined his reaction, "Revenge is simply not practical, kill her if you want, but we both know that we won't stand a hell of a chance without the others. She could keep our coven together."_

_She thought that she would rather be dead than one of these creatures, yet the longer they argued, the longer she lived, so she did not interrupt. After a while of this bickering, her father said something that made the girl frown._

_"What about your mother's necklace? When she was killed she was wearing it, you would forgive the loss of that?"_

_She tried to think of what significance that such a detail would have on these beasts, but came up empty. The angry looking girl glanced at her for a moment, then looked back, her eyes resting on the piece of silver jewellery resting just above her chest._

_"No matter," The girl strode toward her and yanked it over her head. Holding it out triumphantly, "this will do nicely." She turned around to clasp it around the back of her neck. Facing toward her, the girl's expression suddenly changed, and there was genuine fear and anger in her eyes. Baffled to what marked this change, she only watched as the girl regained her composure and turned to face her father._

_"I doubt it is as expensive as the other one was, yet it does look remarkably similar." The man smoothed his chin._

_"You know," the girl laughed, "I think, I may have come to a solution; we could have our fun with her and _then_ Awaken her."_

_She could not see the girl's face, but there was something weird in her tone. Her father did not seem to notice though, and his mouth split into a disturbing grin._

_She strolled lazily to the roaring fireplace, and plucked out one of the many metal handles which lay there, their blades engulfed in flames. She turned to face him with a glowing machete, and offered it to him._

_Now that her fate was before her, she mentally smacked herself for thinking that it could not get worse. Her choice of fates seemed like a blessing in comparison. She would rather be either, than both. The sight of that sharp blade made the hairs on her arms stand up, she clenched her fists into the carpet and frantically looked around for an escape plan. But there was nothing, the desk the monsters stood at blocked her from the weapons, and they seemed to move faster than she would be able to, even if she had control of her body. There were no windows, and the doors would definitely be locked, except, maybe, the one the girl had entered in. She shuffled her way toward the it, her body still weak and uncooperative. The man seemed to find this amusing, and stood up, facing away from his daughter, he laughed at her frozen figure and held a hand backwards for the weapon. She knew then that there was no way out, no escaping this fate, the hope drained from her like a candle burning out._

_Then, something happened that she would have never imagined possible. The girl's face contorted with rage behind her father's back, and something that looked like a deep, burning hatred surged through her body; she lifted the blade and brought it down in a powerful swipe, and, still sizzling with burned flesh, the decapitated head of her father dropped onto the desk in front of him._

_"That," the girl said solemnly, "was for what you made us into."_

_Her face changed and her eyes looked to her frantically, they were panicked at seemed very young. She seemed to look inward for a moment and after a beat, she fled, flinging open the large doors to see the the gentle glow of oranges and red that signified dawn. She paused before leaving, taking one glance back at me, before nodding to herself. She was gone in a movement so quick that no eyes could follow._

_Trying to come to terms with what had just happened, she managed to pick herself up. Her knees were weak and she stumbled a few more times. Once she had stood firmly on the ground, she shook herself before taking her first step. That shake, however, seemed to aggravate her damaged head and it swayed until the world was spinning, before she knew it, she had stumbled and fell once more, her head crashing into the fireplace stone, and the world went black._

Lissa gasped and her hands went to her lips. "My necklace! The one I charmed for you!"

The memory came slowly, groggily, and I could picture my best friend holding out a silver chain grinning madly. I remembered how proud she was of it, and how long she said she'd spent working on it. I'd been hesitant at the time, some of her creations had the tenancy to leave marks. This one had simply felt smooth and warm though, so she wore it anyway, to spare her feelings.

"It seems to have had an effect much like your what your ring did to me in Russia, but apparently tenfold." Dimitri murmured quietly. It was always hard for him to talk about his time as a Strigoi.

"I'd put a lot of effort into that, but I never imagined something like this, I was just trying to keep it from scolding you! What else do you think spirit can do?"

My eyes flickered around the room, catching on the various pieces of jewellery hanging off of our friends; Christian wore an unnaturally bright looking silver watch, the dark haired boy wore a flamboyant chain link bracelet, and Dimitri sported a dark, thick ring. My guess was that they were all spirit soaked.

After a few hours of throwing around ideas, I left Lissa and Christian's home, but as Dimitri was their guardian, I wouldn't allow him to come with me. I exited the house and took a good look at it for the first time; on my way here I was somewhat disorientated. It was a beautiful log cabin, but maybe that description didn't do it justice, the porch led down a wooden path until it reached the woods that surrounded the clearing, ebbing lanterns decorated the railings, and from the edge of the trees, the home looked fit for one of Tolkin's Elves.

As I set off, I heard a clinking behind me and footsteps gaining, I spun round defensively, only to find the dark haired spirit boy standing there, watching me.

I cleared my throat, an awkward silence was threatening to stretch, "Hey."

He approached me, and smiled softly, "Hi."

Without another word, we began to walk together and I continued to watch the floor, despite how we'd conversed when there were others there, it was confusing to see him now, alone with me. We hadn't addressed the issue of my memory in relation to this boy. I knew his name was Adrian, yet even that was murky in my mind, it brought with it feelings of guilt and sadness.

While we were in the house, he wore a confident smile, yet now it was downcast, and his hair was dishevelled in the forest breeze, yet unlike the style he was obviously aiming for inside, it was now simply mussed around his head, sticking up at odd angles.

"You remembered Belikov." he said, barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, but there were certain reminders that triggered it." I said uncomfortably, thinking of how Dimitri had repeatedly brushed his hands on my skin me since we found each other, as if he were making sure I was real, each time it sent electric currents through my body.

He came to a standstill and looked at me with pain in his eyes, "You remembered him, but you can't even bring yourself to look at me!"

I cringed, not knowing what to do, but as I watched his pain turn to anger, my own frustration came out, "I am_ so_ sorry that my memory loss offends you; I should have thought about your feelings, how _selfish _of me!"

It was his turn to wince, "You're right, I'm sorry. I just thought... The dream didn't remind you, I just hoped... I don't know... I'm sorry."

He took a step toward me, his sweet scent drifted off him and his eyes looked deep into mine. My breath hitched. Who _was_ he? His lips came close to mine, but at the last moment, he brought them to my forehead and began to walk again.

After a moment of silence, my voice came to me again, "Nobody has told me who you were, you know... before."

An annoyed look crossed his face, but then he shrugged, "I'm not surprised, Belikov was the one with you, and I doubt Lissa would have brought it up in there; wouldn't have put it past Christian though..."

I smiled, all my memories of Christian were ones where he was there with Lissa, but he is a hazy part of the picture. I could see, however, how the boy was. No, he probably would've have enjoyed creating an awkward situation.

"I was your boyfriend." he said, his sad, beautiful green eyes catching mine.

"Oh," I replied slowly, oddly, I didn't find myself surprised "how long ago was that?"

He looked at me and sighed, "When you left, you were my girlfriend, when you came back, you weren't."

I gasped, remembering Dimitri when he first saw me. He knew that I was somebody else's, but I didn't. I could remember our argument, and knew that we hadn't been together, but it hadn't occurred to me that I was supposed to be with someone else. The words came back to me. _"You had a boyfriend!" _but I had dismissed them in the heat of the argument, presuming it must have ended long before my disappearance.

"Hey, I don't blame you. I knew you always had a thing for the guy, I figured it was only a matter of time, better this way than you breaking up with me knowingly." he said with an attempt at nonplussed.

I groaned, how did everything get so messed up? "I'm so sorry..."

He lightly bumped my shoulder with his fist, and laughed "It's all good, no worries."

I could tell that he wasn't taking it as well as he was making out.

"The court is two miles that way," he said as we approached his car, "want a lift?"

I looked from him to his fancy looking vehicle, I knew which way my destination was, Dimitri had driven them past it en route to Lissa's. I wasn't sure if he actually wanted me to take that offer, I could tell it was sincere, but he looked pained at her presence, and I felt like an absolute jerk at the moment. Adrian was still waiting on an answer, but I shook my head. I didn't want to even imagine that car ride, so I bade him goodbye on the spot, and he reluctantly got into his car and pulled out of the roadside bay and drove away. Those emerald eyes looking back at me through the rear view window.

I grimaced, it looked like memory loss wasn't my only problem.


	5. Chapter 5

Ambrose put me up in one of the staff apartments at the Court, it was a very nice room, en suite with a red and silver theme; nothing that you would expect an unemployed dhampir to recieve. I suspected that he had pulled a few strings with the Queen, maybe taking advantage of their not so professional relationship. I was glad to have a good idea of who Ambrose was when he approached me as I entered the court-to the shock of many passers-by- his name stuck a cord in me and it just... Fell into place. I was still trying to understand this memory loss thing, it all seemed very random.

The next morning, there was a rap at my door, and when I answered it, Ambrose stood there with his sexy smile. "Ta- The Queen has requested an audience with Vasilisa, so your friends will be here soon, I thought I'd get you up before they arrived."

I grinned, Ambrose was the prince of looking perfect, and he was obviously concerned about the idea that anyone might be seen with a bedhead. Maybe he he was thinking of me looking good for Dimitri... or perhaps Adrian sparked his courtesy, in any case, it would be best to look put together while in the public eye today, after the ordeal. I was getting a little sick of how tentative people were toward me, I didn't remember a lot, but it was coming back to me in trickles, and I remembered flashes of how fierce I was, and hell if people would treat me like injured bird now.

In any case, I made sure to be dressed well for the Queen, Ambrose dropped me off a chiffon, raspberry coloured dress which had a deep red rose attached to the waist belt that I suspected he had borrowed from the staff selection in the beauty parlour, they always wore clothes much more elegant than seemed affordable for their profession.

As I strode into the main courtyard, I passed the guardians who were stationed outside the prison doors, and saw a man who looked vaguely familiar. I was trying to get a grip on it when he caught my eye.

"Rose!" Okay, he obviously knew me. Play it cool, Rose.

I turned to him, "Hey, how's it going?

He grimaced, "Lousy, we have two brothers down there who tried to attack the Queen this morning, obviously they didn't get anywhere near, but their volatile mouths are keeping us all in a bad mood."

I gasped, "Did they say why they did it?"

His eyes narrowed, "Didn't fess up, but they were probably hired to by political opposition, these attempts aren't uncommon, we get a couple a month, at least... When Sonya told me you were back, well, I wasn't sure if I believed her. Spirit's been doing it's thing lately. But when Vasilisa confirmed it- just, wow. I'm so glad you're back, Lissa needs you." Sonya. Christian had mentioned her in their conversation the other night as we spoke about Spirit. She had a Dhampir lover, that would make him... Mikhail? When they wrapped up their conversation, she decided to risk it.

"See you, Mikhail!" He smiled and gave a small wave. Nailed it.

Thinking back on the would-be assassins, I shuddered at the thought of what Lissa might one day have to face.

As I made my way up the Court steps, I head a shrill squeal, and a yell, as a small child ran toward me. Squinting in the sun, I realised she wasn't a child at all.

"Mia!"

"Rose! You don't know how depressed I've been since I heard what happened to you. You were a real hero at that battle." her voice dropped gravely, "To have found out that you were alive... I could have collapsed, I was sure I had heard wrong!" She smiled again and wrapped her arms around me. Mia looked older than I'd last saw her; her height remained minuscule, but she no longer reminded me of a baby faced doll, her cheeks were more defined, her eyes darker and her skin unusually tanned for a Moroi.

I didn't want to talk about my time away right now, "You look beautiful, Mia, how have you been?"

"Wonderful! I've been learning to fight with water, you've no idea how good I've become!"

I smiled indulgently, remembering a time when I'd told her that her powers would be useless in a fight against the undead.

That was when I realised; I remembered her. Much like Ambrose, nobody had to tell me, remind me or badger me until I put a name to a face, a face to a memory. I just knew her. This epiphany elated me so much that I forgot about the meeting and looked eagerly at Mia.

"Show me!"

Her smile faltered a moment, "Wh-what?"

"I want to see what you can do!" I grinned encouragingly.

She looked hesitant, then her jaw set, and she closed her eyes a moment. One of the great ceramic pots that stood against the wall of a courtyard dwelling shook a moment, and then, what I could only assume to be rain water spiralled out of it, glistening in the morning rays. Suddenly, it shot toward one of the statues representing former Kings and Queens, and it gathered in a swirling ball around it. This was much like what she did in the fight in which she proved me so wrong about her power's value, though faster, with precision and ease. I was very impressed.

"That's awesome!" I said, remembering the appointment, "I have to get going now, I'll see you later?" I turned to go.

"Wait!" I looked back, questioningly.

Her eyes focused on the statue, and the water surrounding the head froze and turned to ice. It looked very solid, the water enlarged the portrayal of the head which it surrounded. My eyes widened, "Woah."

She smiled lopsidedly, then turned around to face the court, and all around the square water rose from pots and shot through the air toward various stone royalty, freezing on contact, some forming amusing shapes, such as one which resembled a fish head, in that particular ice piece, she seemed to have oxygenated the water so it became misty, and the head was lost underneath the frozen sculpture, leaving it looking like the opposite the the conventional merman.

"I... Never realised. This is amazing, Mia! The fights you could win with this!" I'd never imagined any manipulation of elements could be quite so advanced.

She laughed, and with that relaxation, the water around her melted and splashed to the floor, soaking some shocked onlookers who were out this early.

"I... I really do have to go, but... Wow. Ah, I'm gonna be late!"

She grinned, looking dazzling in the sunrise, and happier than I'd ever seen her. I realised for the first time that she had on a beautiful purple dress which flowed down the skirt. There was a slight wiriness to her arms, and her stomach seemed to sport a two-pack. I'd never seen any Moroi achieve such muscle, especially any woman, who were always so slim and fragile. But Mia put them all to shame, she kept her beauty, yet now it looked like a victory, not a natural occurrence of race.

"It looks like you're not the only one who's late." She looked beyond my shoulder, and I turned to see Adrian, standing as frozen as Mia's ice, watching her with an awed expression in his eyes. As if he only just noticed our attention on him, he quickly reverted to his public cocky smile.

When me and Adrian made it to the Great Hall everybody else had already arrived, Adrian looked so deep in thought that he didn't immediately notice when his aunt greeted him sweetly, though I was sure that that was more for my benefit anyway, what better way to show someone that you are ignoring them than to chat animately away to everyone else?

I sighed, then. Similarly to Mia, I recognised that I had no murky memories when it came to Tatiana, and even though they were less than pleasant, they left me with a grin playing on my lips.

Finally, the Queen told us the reason she'd brought us here; Strigoi were grouping in a town not far from the Court, and Lissa would not be allowed to stay in her home until the threat was resolved. Reluctantly, Tatiana turned to me;

"It is good to hear that you are alive, despite being somewhat... damaged." Her tone made it clear she wasn't exactly elated. "It would have been a shame to waste your training."

I was about to reply with a snarky quip, but Lissa quickly interjected "It would have been a shame to waste her life." her tone was remarkably harsh.

Tatiana looked as surprised as I was, "Yes, quite. She is a remarkable Dhampir."

"Then you won't object to mine becoming Lissa's guardian again."

The Queens eyes widened at that, "With the imminent threat-"

"Rose would be the ideal protection." Dimitri cut in, "With their spirit bond and Rose's advanced training level and amount of experience, the Princess could not be in better hands."

I felt my face warm at his glowing appraisal, yet the feeling subsided when Tatiana next spoke. "As far as I have deduced, Miss Hathaway," I furiously recognised the drop in my Guardian title, "has neglected any sort of training in the last few months, she is unbalanced, and," her tone dropped into further disdain, "we can not have any ___distractions_ within Vasilisa's guard."

I froze, knowing full well what she was referring to. I remembered the solemn conversation with Dimitri about the situation, that if it came down to him saving me or Lissa, he would protect me.

Lissa looked riled up to say something else, but at that moment, all hell broke loose.

What seemed to be an arrow shot through one of the highest stain glassed windows in the hall, and guardians flooded in from every direction. Outside, people began yelling and screaming. I looked to Tatiana, the arrow was protruding from her arm, and she was moaning, though in between gritting her teeth and yelling orders at her Guard. Several guardians rushed us through one of the back corridors, but when I glanced black, I saw a couple of deathly white figures moving quickly through the great hall.

I was arguing in my mind, like Gollum, do I stay and protect Liss? or go back and fight the oncoming horde? The scream of a guardian made up my mind, if the Dhampirs fell here, she couldn't take them on alone. It would be better to fight with and protect her fellow Dhampirs, so they could decimate the creatures before they got a chance to reach her. She had to be safe. She would be led to safety, but I had to leave her in another's hands for now.

Dimitri had already joined the fight, and I set off in pursuit of a different fray. I couldn't distract him.

"Let- me- GO!" I glanced back to see Christian fighting to follow me, flames dancing at his finger tips. The guardians spotted the danger, or perhaps the asset, and let him go, rushing Lissa and Adrian toward what I hoped would be a safe house. He looked triumphant as he reached me, but I shook my head.

"Do you trust those guys to keep her safe if they get to her?"

Christian's smile faded.

There are decisions you have to make in battle. What might seem like the wrong thing to do could turn out being the opposite, but you had to go with your gut. My gut told me that we'd have a better chance of beating the guard if I was there to even out the numbers. But Christian... I knew we'd fought together before, but it was against every fibre of my being to put Moroi in danger when there was a way out for them. Yet the dangerous flames he possessed could tip the scale in our favour.

He looked back, agonised, but they were already out of sight, he returned his gaze to me. "Let's destroy them before we have to test that theory." It seemed that me and Ozera were on the same page.

_**Vasilisa POV**_

Lissa wished in these moments more than anything that the bond went both ways; she couldn't stand not knowing if Rose was okay, Tatiana was right, she hadn't trained in months, that made her vulnerable, not a desirable trait when faced with a legion of monsters.

Adrian looked worried as well, they'd been in a chamber upstairs for twenty minutes now, and as if the screams and grunts weren't worrying enough, the silences terrified them more.

The guardians with them looked pained, surely due to their abandonment of their comrades, but their sense of duty won out to "protect the Moroi". At least for the moment they seemed out of danger.

Lissa looked over to Adrian, he seemed to be having one of his episodes, he was just staring off into the distance, mumbling to himself, the darkness was heavy on his aura. She just caught words like "a million shades of blue...", and "dazzling", it must have been hard on him, she thought sadly, having his girlfriend return from the dead as somebody else's.

All of a sudden, there was a crashing at the door, and three Strigoi burst into the room, immediately, our guardians sprung into action, they fought with prowess and finesse, but only managed to take down one of them in the ten minutes they dodged and pounced. One of them got slashed by a remaining Strigoi, and his arm looked badly damaged, the creature was about to dive in and finish him, but something surreal happened.

From the doorway, a white spherical blur struck it in the back of the head, the force of the object threw him onto his knees, and the other guardian swooped in and staked him in the back. The last one went for him, furious, but before he could take another step, two more blurs smashed into his body, and as they smashed into a million pieces around her, Lissa realised that they were ice. Balls of ice.

It was less easily fazed, though, and spun around, to face Mia. She looked ragged and torn, but her aura was still strong with navy blue defensiveness interweaving with cerulean exhilaration and flashes of glowing gold spiking through.

The creature smiled, though it looked a little disconcerted. While Lissa tended to the man who seemed close to bleeding out, the remaining guardian took the opportunity to finish him from behind. Maybe it was her snobbery from seeing Rose in action too much, but his movements seemed loud and clumsy to her. The Strigoi flashed his red eyes in a backward glance before he reached him, and threw a punch straight into the Dhampir's face.

She was sure she'd heard his nose and jaw break in that contact moment, and he was out cold, she could see blood dripping from his ears, and hoped violently that he was still alive.

"Adrian! Take care of him!"

He looked totally out of his previous stupor, and was quick to drag the man out of the range of fire, though he was looking frantically to Mia and the Strigoi that threatened them all.

After a quick check, Adrian confirmed that he was still alive, and began working on healing him as well as he could as quickly as possible. He'd improved vastly over the last few months of training, and it was coming in incredibly helpful now.

The Strigoi looked to the two of them, then back to Mia, obviously the most immediate threat.

"Does the little Moroi want to play?" he sneered.

Lissa expected her to maybe cringe or run, but Mia flicked her hair much like she might have at school once upon a time when gossiping about someone. Yet this time, it was accompanied by a threatening, almost challenging smirk. She cocked her head, cracking her neck both ways.

He grinned horribly, "I'm going to enjoy this."

Mia, in the flash between the Strigoi taking three lightening fast strides toward her, leapt backwards and flicked her wrist toward a water cooler, drawing out the last of the liquid. Like lightening, the water collided with it's head, surrounding it, suffocating it. Rather quickly, it fell.

She looked to us in a moment of panic, yet in that instant, the water dropped, and the monster staggered up to it's feet, and pounced with it's unnatural speed.

It grabbed her neck, laughing and coughing in a terrible medley like a deranged maniac.

"NO!" Adrian yelled. Our last hope seemed to be extinguished along with our friend, and there was nothing we could do. He was still focused on keeping the man alive, but she had helped her charge as best she could, she stood up and looked frantically around for something, anything to fight with.

Mia was turning blue, then purple, her eyes were bulging as she tried to get air through to her lungs. The Strigoi only tightened it's grasp, and she could see it's nailed piercing into her skin as if it were dough.

It loosened it's grasp for a second, "I like to see them squirm as their life drains from their eyes." In that one gasp she was granted, she twitched her hand, seemingly in reflex, but from Lissa's position, she could see the water soaked into the carpet rise silently into a very familiar shape, before freezing quickly

The Strigoi could have never expected it when the ice stake pierced his heart though his back. His eyes widened, and with his last burst of strength, he clenched his hand together, all but tearing out Mia's throat.

Her and Adrian screamed and ran to her, but there was nothing they could do, the wound in her neck was too terrible to fix, she broke down, sobbing. She didn't hear Adrian cry, but then, he didn't know her like she did. When she could bring herself to look at Mia again, she saw Adrian with her body in his lap, his hand to the blood.

In between hiccups, she whispered, "There's no point in stopping the bleedi-" it was in that moment that a silver glow emitted from his hand, and engulfed them both. There was a moment of silence in the room, Adrian's aura shone, vibrant and stunning. When he removed his hand, Mia's brilliant blue eyes shot open, and she sat up, gasping.

She looked into his own eyes, wide and fearful. "What happened?"

"Don't worry, little Moroi, you're safe now." Adrian spoke so softly that Lissa could hardly hear him.

She touched her blemish-less neck, and gasped. Adrian was still holding her in his arms tenderly, searching every inch of her body for harm, before returning his gaze to hers, the young man looked at her so much adoration that Lissa wasn't the least bit surprised when Mia leant forward and lifted her porcelain lips to his.


End file.
